There are several haunted places in Los Angeles, and we’re not talking about those over-the-top ghost tours on Hollywood Boulevard. Even though we’re a fairly young city, you’d be surprised at how many ghostly spots there are to explore. If you’re ready to scare yourself silly with a supernatural encounter, then be sure to visit one of these spooky places in L.A.
1. Linda Vista Hospital
Linda Vista, one of the creepiest places in Los Angeles, was built in 1937 to serve railway workers. Known for its ghostly sightings, it appeared in paranormal shows and horror films like Day of the Dead and Insidious. Although it was demolished in 2015 for a retirement home, ghost hunters still visit the site to experience its eerie past.
đź“ŤLocation: 630 S St Louis St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
2. Cecil Hotel
No level of rebranding could distance this crime-ridden hotel’s grim past, especially with the recent Netflix series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. The docuseries focuses on the mysterious case of Elisa Lam who went missing for three weeks while on a trip and her body was later found in the water tower.
But its sordid history of unsolved deaths, suicides, and murders dates back to the 1930s. Along with that, it was also home to Serial killers Richard “Nightstalker” Ramirez and Jack Unterweger. Needless to say, if you’re looking for haunted places in Los Angeles, this is probably the top destination.
đź“ŤLocation: 640 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
3. The Silent Movie Theater
The Silent Movie Theater has an intricate backstory making it one of the most haunted places in Los Angeles. In 1942 the original owner, John Hampton, used toxic chemicals to preserve his films which eventually led to his fatality due to the harmful exposure.
His mentee, Lawerence Austin, took over the theater and was later shot in the lobby by a hitman sent by his lover and theater projectionist in an attempt to try to inherit his possessions. It’s said that Austin’s ghost still haunts the lobby and that Hampton’s ghost can be heard roaming around the second floor where he once lived.
đź“ŤLocation: 611 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
4. Hollywood Roosevelt
Legend has it that celebrity ghosts lurk in the halls of the hotel. A handful of guests have reported that Marilyn Monroe’s image has appeared in a mirror that used to be in her poolside suite and claim. Strange activity has also been reported on the ninth floor in suite 928, where late actor Montgomery Clift was living while filming From Here to Eternity — guests would complain to the hotel about a trumpet being played in the middle of the night even though the room would be vacant.
đź“ŤLocation: 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
5. The Comedy Store
After years of denying ghost stories, The Comedy Store is finally embracing its reputation of being one other most haunted places in Los Angeles. Back in the 1940s and 1950s, the popular Sunset-strip club was Ciro’s restaurant – one of the hippest clubs at the time. The owners had a close affiliation with the mob which is said to haunt the basement. Workers at the comedy club have claimed to hear voices, cries, and snarls coming from the area where Mikey “The King of the Sunset Strip” based his operations.
đź“ŤLocation: 8433 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069
6. Yamashiro Hollywood
This Japanese restaurant is known for its spectacular views of Hollywood and frequent sightings of paranormal activity. Managers, employees, and guests have reported seeing a former bartender hanging around the bar as well as hearing a weeping bride in the bridal suite.
If you happen to be around on an especially spooky evening, you may witness silhouettes of a man and woman strolling around the property or hear unexplainable sounds of crashing plates. All of this makes it a top destination for those looking to explore haunted places in Los Angeles.
đź“ŤLocation: 1999 N Sycamore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068
7. Pasadena Suicide Bridge
There are over 100 documented suicides of people jumping off the hauntingly beautiful Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena. The first suicide was in 1919, and since, the landmark has been the source of many ghostly sightings.
People have reportedly seen a man leaping off a rail as well as a woman crossing the bridge and then, vanishing. While it may be on the list of haunted places in Los Angeles, it also happens to be one of the most romantic spots. It all depends on what you see.
đź“ŤLocation: 504 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
8. El Cid
Before El Cid was the iconic Flamenco venue we know today, it lived several past lives. About 100 years ago, it was a café up until 1932 when it was bought out. It turned into the Gateway Theatre before becoming the Cabaret Concert Theatre between 1950 and 1961, which served as a favorite nightspot for Hollywood producers, talent scouts, agents, and celebrities.
Then come December 7th, 1962, Flamenco dancers Juan Talavera and Margarita Cordova, along with her husband Clark Allen, opened a venue that exists today: El Cid. Today, they’re known for their incredible dining and events that still hold true to their roots, as they still hold on to their decades-old flamenco show every weekend.
With such a range of history, it’s no wonder why there is so much energy felt by El Cid workers. Security guards and managers have reported eerie experiences like the flamenco dolls on display moving from case to case, and even felt watched by the dolls. Reportedly, you can even catch one of the dolls breathing as her eyes follow you around the room.
đź“ŤLocation: 4212 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029
9. The Viper Room
The infamous Viper Room in West Hollywood, has quite a dark past which make many believe this is one of the most haunted places in Los Angeles. During the ’50s and ’60s, the venue was known as a jazz club called The Melody Room.
It was often frequented by mobsters Bugsy Siegel and Mickey Cohen, and it’s said that they allegedly may have taken care of some hits. The energy in the Viper Room can be so heavy, that patrons and workers have passed out at the same exact spot near the bar. That’s not all though.
The famous Ghost Adventures paid the club a visit and during their investigation ticket operator Rita shared her spooky experience with the ghost-hunting team. “I’ve had my hair yanked, a hand on my leg. Oh yeah, they’re grabby, the guy ghosts,” she expressed. “But there’s a chick ghost too, she was texting me once from a dead number. I’d talk out loud to her, and she’d text me a response. She was mad that I couldn’t see her.”
đź“ŤLocation: 8852 West Sunset BLVD, West Hollywood, CA 90069
10. Musso & Franks
A common trope in Los Angeles is that you’re bound to run into someone famous… but apparently, that includes ghostly celebrities too. This Hollywood establishment has been around since 1919 and has served celebrities from the Golden Era like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra to modern-day stars like Norman Reedus. A lot has changed since then, but this long-standing restaurant has managed to remain the same.
Not many businesses have the fortune of sticking around in a city that’s always moving. Being loved by locals and the stars, it’s no surprise to us that Musso and Frank Grill has quite a reputation for being one of the many haunted places in Los Angeles…
It’s said that Charlie Chaplin himself haunts the restaurant and still sits at his regular booth: #1 in the Old Room. Staff have also reported noises in the kitchen when no one is there along with plates and glasses falling. If you’ve ever wanted to dine with a ghost, this historic spot is for you.
đź“ŤLocation: 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
11. Sassafras Saloon
Inspired by the old west, this unique bar will transport you to a haunted house full of authentic vintage relics, that seem hold on to their past and have spirits attached to them. Their most famous ghost known as “The Woman Of The Bar” haunts the Sassafras Saloon and it’s said she keeps an eye on guests. Other spirits are often mischievous with waitstaff.
đź“ŤLocation: 1233 N. Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90038
12. Canters Deli
This spot has been serving Angelenos since 1931, in fact, it was one of Marilyn Monroe’s favorite places in L.A. Although the original location moved from Boyle Heights to Fairfax, it seems it has still carried its past with it. Rumor has it, that ghosts of past waitstaff can be spotted here. Some have even reported being touched and pushed by unseen entities.
đź“ŤLocation: 417 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
13. Clifton’s Bar & Basement
The history of Clifton’s Republic can be traced decades upon decades, all the way down to the Great Depression Era. Clifford Clinton created his cafeteria chain with a “pay-what-you-wish” principle, never turning someone hungry away. Today, it’s a beloved restaurant and night-life bar.
Staff members have experienced a range of unexplainable phenomena like ghost sightings, smells, and temperature changes. It is even rumored that Clifoton’s lifelong mistress’ ashes were scattered at the cafeteria. While the restaurant was being restored in 2015, people reported seeing the mistress time and time again, making this spot a key spot add to this list of haunted places in Los Angeles.
đź“ŤLocation: 648 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014
14. Hollywood Toys & Costumes
Any list of haunted places in Los Angeles can be complete without mentioning the always creepy Toy Shop. Found right on the Walk of Fame, this iconic shop first opened its doors in 1950 by the Ellowitz family. They saw a need for a toy store in the community and thus Hollywood’s Largest Toy Shop was born. Sometime in 1970, a tragic fire in the building occurred and several people lost their lives. Jump to 1980, a new family was given the opportunity to continue the store’s legacy and the Moazzez family took on this honor.
What they didn’t know was the spirits it came with it. It’s said that those who lost their lives still haunt the building. HT&C workers often have the bloodcurdling feeling of being watched and some have even been reportedly pushed.
đź“ŤLocation: 6600 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
15. Whisky a Go Go
No doubt the Whisky a Go Go is full of musical history, and in the paranormal world, music holds a lot of energy. In a ghost-hunting session, Spooky Foodie reportedly spoke with the spirit of a drummer who performed at the venue years ago and still visits in the afterlife.
đź“ŤLocation: 8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
16. Philippe’s The Original
Philippe The Origina is one of the most beloved and oldest restaurants found in Los Angeles. The restaurant was first established in 1908 by a French immigrant, Philippe Mathieu, who was known for his famous sandwiches.
However, the real story of Philippe’s begins in 1918 when a total happy accident occurred. It is said that one fine day an officer walked in and asked for a sandwich. While making the sandwich, Mathieu accidentally dropped the French bread into the flavorful meat juices found in the oven. The rest is history, but that’s not the only past the restaurant has.
Before it became the historic spot we know it as, the building housed a so-called hotel brothel. Current employees have reported smelling perfume and being pushed by an entity. Lights have turned on and off before them with no one in the room. A woman thought to be a lady of the night, has been seen in her red dress as she makes her way upstairs.
đź“ŤLocation: 1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
17. Idle Hour
The historic whisky barrel-shaped structure was first built in 1941 and owned by a woman named Delores. It’s said that her spirit still haunts and overlooks the Idle Hour. Many workers have reported unexplained noises, footsteps, and shadows.
đź“ŤLocation: 4824 Vineland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 91601
18. Hank’s Dive Bar
19. The Beverly Hills “bermuda triangle”
The area around this strange triangle of land in Beverly Hills, known as one of the haunted spots in Los Angeles, has gained a dark reputation. In 1946, Howard Hughes crashed his plane at 808 N. Whittier. A year later, Bugsy Siegel was murdered at 801 N. Linden, and in 1966, Jan Berry nearly died in a Dead Man’s Curve crash. In 2010, publicist Ronni Chasen was fatally shot near Sunset and Whittier, crashing into a streetlight at 815 N. Whittier, adding to the sinister history of this intersection.
đź“ŤLocation: 816 N Linden Dr Beverly Hills, California, 90210
20. Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Established in 1899, Hollywood Forever Cemetery is one of the most haunted locations in Los Angeles and serves as the final resting place for numerous Hollywood icons, including Cecil B. DeMille and Dee Dee Ramone.
A crying woman is often heard near the lake, believed to be the spirit of young Virginia Rappe, whose tragic death remains tied to the notorious Fatty Arbuckle scandal of the silent film era.
21. Griffith Park Zoo
Griffith Park Zoo, anothe creepy place in L.A., was abandoned in 1965, leaving behind spooky ruins, old animal cages, and graffiti-covered buildings to explore. Legend has it the land was cursed by the original owner’s niece, leading to untimely deaths and bad luck for future owners. Despite donating the land, the last owner died prematurely from liver disease.
đź“ŤLocation: 4801 Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
22. The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary, one of the most haunted places around Los Angeles, is an iconic floating hotel famous for its eerie history. Originally a luxury liner hosting notable guests like Winston Churchill, it transformed into a WWII troopship, earning the nickname “The Gray Ghost.”
Today, visitors report ghostly encounters and strange sounds on board. For an extra thrill, visit during Dark Harbor, a Halloween event with mazes, street performances, and horror attractions like the R.I.P Lounge.
đź“ŤLocation: 1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802